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Comments and Notes:
All fractional dimensions are given in 8ths of an inch. 4/8ths is 1/2 inch, 6/8ths is 3/4" metric approximations: 3/8ths=9mm, 4/8ths=12.5mm, 6/8ths= 19mm. US lumber dimensions are lies. A 1x12 is actually 6/8ths x 11&2/8ths. 2x3s are about 1&4/8ths by 2&4/8ths. Bill of Materials: 1: 1x12, 6' 2: 1x4, 8' 4: 2x3, 8' 2: Hinges, 1"x2", with screws Glue Tools Required: (Recommended) Crosscut Saw, (Rip Saw) Chisel, Drill (mortice bit), Tape measure, Square, Mallet, Glue brush (router) (miter box) |
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Cut 1' lengths of 1x12 for the panels.
Choose the outside (pretty) face.
From that side route out a 3/8" deep, 6/8" wide
channel, all the way around the panels.
If you're using a router table, set up
a 6/8" straight bit with 3/8" exposed, just
brushing the fence. After cutting the edges,
I use a V-grove bit to bevel the edges of the
raised parts of the panels. but you can use a
chisel instead. If you happen to HAVE
a panel bit, you can do both operations in one pass.
If you don't have a router at all, then you can
draw lines 6/8" in from all edges, and very
carefully make 3/8" deep stop cuts on the face
of the panel, and then chisel out the waste.
There are two left-handed, and two right-handed
corner posts, at opposing corners. A post is left handed
if, when looking at the mortices in the narrow face,
the mortices on the wide face are open to the left.
Cut four lengths of 2x3, 25.5" long. two of these will be
TOP rails, and two will be BOTTOM rails. Draw a line around
each end of each rail, 1" in. Cut tennons with 3/8" shoulders
to this line. You can do this with the router, but if
you do, wrap one layer of tape just inside the 1" line, to
prevent splitting and tear-out. I have trouble keeping the
rails square with the router fence, which exacerbates the
splitting problem. It may be worthwhile to build a sled to keep
the rails at 90 degrees. After cutting the tennons,
find the center of the rail, which should be 12 & 6/8" from
each end, and on the UPPER face of the BOTTOM
rail, and the LOWER face of the TOP rail, cut a mortice
1" deep, 6/8" wide, and 1&6/8" long. Then cut slots in
that same face, from end to end, across, the mortice, that
are 3/8" deep, 3/8" wide, and 3/8" from the OUTSIDE of the
rail.
The short rails are constructed exactly like the
long rails, except that they start as 12 & 4/8" chunks
of 2x3, and you should not cut mortices into them.
the tennons are the same size, (with the tennons on the
top rail trimmed down, and with a 6/8" dado cut in the
inside edge of the bottom rails.
Stiles are 13&2/8 lengths of 2x3.
Cut tennons like the ones on the bottom rails,
and then carve slots in the narrow faces from end to end,
3/8" deep, 3/8" wide, and 3/8" from the OUTSIDE face.
Floor planks are seven 1x4s cut to 13 & 2/8ths.
The ends of each plank will probably have to be pared down
with the chisel, since 3/4" boards don't quite fit into 3/4"
dados. The outer edge of the first and last floorboard will
also have to be pared down. In addition, you will have to cut
3/8" deep x 1 & 6/8" chunks out of the outer corners of the
end boards, to go around the unslotted posts.
The Lid Frame is made of two 26.5" lengths of 2x3, and two 15.5" lengths
of 2x3, dovetailed together. Start with the short lengths, and mark
a line all the way around them at 1 & 4/8" from each end.
Choose an inside, and a top face. On the OUTSIDE face, mark a line
from the end to the drawn line, 3/8" down from the top, and another
such line 3/8" up from the bottom. Connect the lines from the inside
to the outside face across the end-grain, to form the outline of the dovetail.
Cut down through the end-grain to meet the girdling line at 1.5" in from the
ends. Then cut in from the sides to remove the waste.
Cut a slot 3/8" deep, 6/8" wide, the length of the stick, 3/8" down
from the top, on the inside edge. (This will hold the lid planks)
This slot will remove part of the wide edge of the Dovetail.
Trim the rest of the wide edge of the dovetail to match.